<p>The maximum Odyssey grant is about $5200. All it does is replace Stafford and other such federally-subsidized loans for those who qualify for them. From the sound of it, that would not include the OP.</p>
<p>On CC, it's clearly still the case. The Odyssey Scholarships only apply to families with very low incomes, and they do not quite meet the standard set by the remodeled financial aid programs at Harvard, Yale, Princeton and elsewhere. I think the problem with Chicago's financial aid is that it's very formulaic and not terribly flexible when dealing with unmonetizable assets like family businesses or farms, and that its formulas embody outdated assumptions about saving capacities.</p>
<p>But the Odyssey Scholarships can't be that bad. The University claims that it had over a 50% yield on accepted students to whom Odyssey Scholarships were offered -- which was apparently almost double the yield it had on students in the same income range last year.</p>
<p>Don't steer him anyplace yet. Continue to support him as he explores his own strengths and interests while you take the time to check out some universities that may be affordable and good matches for his interests and needs.</p>
<p>Check out the threads pinned on this forum about merit aid. Boys in particularly are prime prospects for merit aid particularly at colleges that are not tech universities since at all other types of universities, males are at a premium. </p>
<p>Also check out the threads at the top of the financial aid section.</p>
<p>It also may be that some of the most generous colleges -- Harvard, Yale, Princeton -- may be affordable (even with your income) if your S has the good fortune to gain acceptance. Warning: acceptance rates at Harvard this year were around 7.5%, and most applicants were outstanding.</p>
<p>If WUSTL continues to offer competitive full-tuition merit scholarships (by separate application and indeed very competitive) it is worth applying for. They also match the MNF $2500 scholarship so you get that all 4 years too.</p>
<p>Good advice above, especially the suggestion that your kid must ultimately drive this and decide.</p>
<p>One note of caution, though, is to be realistic. Perfect SAT scores and high grades are not enough at some colleges these days, sad to say. At the very top schools, there is so much (apparent?) randomness in the admissions decisions that you must be prepared for disappointment. (curiously, I see this as more of a parent problem than a kid problem!) Aim hig? Of course, but have a backup plan. </p>
<p>Regarding cost, just remember that many of us have been in the same boat. We too had just over the limit for f/a. We had enough saved to pay for one year (but that took the family emergency fund to near zero). We bit the bullet, giving up vacations, meals out, new cars, and a lot of other things (things that we don't even seem to miss now!) to pay for a lot of the past 4 years (D graduates in two weeks...) without running into debt. It helped that D won a merit award that paid $15K over two years, but we would have borrowed anyway without that. </p>
<p>So one way to look at the finances is that the kid goes for 4 years, you pay over 10 (or whatever).</p>
<p>Final note about state universities: They are different worlds now than they were a generation ago. With the exception of a few "public ivies", most are far less diverse economically and intellectually w/r/t undergrads. Many of the stars of our generation now go to private universities - this in spite of honors colleges and other special programs. The result is that a truly bright, motivated kid can feel isolated at all too many state U. </p>
<p>There are exceptions, and for a kid that is adept at finding his/her own peers from the masses, this may not matter. But for many it does. Couple that with the declining state support for public higher ed, growing class sizes, overuse of adjuncts and so forth, and state U can be a risky choice unless costs dictate all (and even here, do the numbers AFTER fin aid and merit awards are in, and you may find the delta is not so great.)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the thoughtful input; more is welcome.</p>
<p>We are in a state with a "public ivy" so we have little doubt that he will apply there, whether as a first choice or as a "safety." But right now he has time and potential on his side, which is why we want to consider all the options and why this input is so valuable. And to be clear, we're willing to make a substantial investment; we just have significant doubt as to whether the educational difference between investing $50,000 a year instead of $30,000 a year (or $20,000 at the in-state public) is worth the cost. We need to bear in mind the likelihood of graduate or professional school, too.</p>
<p>Fundamentally we want to find the college that fits him best and that he fits best. This is a funny "problem" to have in a way. He's a great kid and if he was a 3.0 student with an average SAT score likely headed to the local state U branch he'd be just as dear to us -- but not as expensive. :)</p>
<p>Based on your descri[ption, WUSTL sounds like a great fit for your son. Top-drawer academics, unpretentious students, and a definite midwestern gestalt. WUSTL does offer merit money, including several half-tuition and several full-tuition scholarships, but they're very, very competitive.</p>
<p>^ well, I would be careful on expectation of merit aid at WUSTL - our D received none with very good stats, show of strong interest, etc. We heard through our GC that WUSTL does not like to give merit if the applicant does not check the financial need box.</p>
<p>Word of advice to OP:</p>
<ul>
<li> Do not count on merit aid. Do not even factor merit aid into the equation unless you are willing to consider schools outside the top 20-25 on any list. </li>
</ul>
<p>For example, the kid of one poster on these boards turned down Yale for Rhodes. (and from what I hear, it was a good decision!) Another four years ago turned down Yale for Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>But notice that these were kids of proven ivy caliber willing to "step down" in prestige.</p>
<p>Some state U offer easier to get merit aid. For example, MSU has quite a few full ride merit awards, based on tests, interviews and such. But it is a state U.</p>
<p>What about an engineering school that gives scholarships to every freshman?</p>
<p>Olin</a> College : Admission : Costs and Scholarship Information</p>
<p>Olin kids can take classes at Wellesley, a women's college located nearby.</p>
<p>I'd for sure have him do some test prep before the PSAT. A PSAT score comparable to the 2090 SAT score would not earn him semifinalist status. He's clearly capable of making high scores, so I wouldn't leave that to chance just because he tends to test well.</p>
<p>
[quote]
He pulled a 2090 (1430) on the SAT as a 9th grader
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I would expect such a student to pull a National Merit semifinalist-qualifying score on the PSAT just by "natural" intellectual growth, by eleventh grade age. I know local examples, and some anecdotes are self-reported in a previous College Confidential thread. </p>
<p>How about Northwestern?? You don't get much more Midwest than that.</p>
<p>I appreciate the comments about PSAT prep, although I admit I have assumed (perhaps unfairly) that what tokenadult says is true. Nevertheless, we did plan to encourage him to prepare with a bit more diligence for the PSAT test since it might have meaningful scholarship consequences. Is the PSAT sufficiently like the SAT such that preparation with SAT prep materials would be useful?</p>
<p>This test preparation industry seems odd to me in general. In our generation I can't recall anyone specifically "preparing" for any of these standardized tests. Certainly no one bought books for it. I do remember that my wife was the only NMF in her hs graduating class. You can see where our son gets the aptitude.</p>
<p>As for whether he should take the SAT itself again (presumably toward the end of his junior year in high school), I still wonder about that. The cooler heads on this board have often noted that a 2100 on the SAT is more or less sufficient for consideration at any school, and I presumed that an admissions officer seeing that a kid got a 2090 as a freshman would spot him the last 10 points, particularly given his ACT score. </p>
<p>SAT II tests are a different matter, of course. I assume he'll take some of those.</p>
<p>Anyone of the Big 10 schools sound right for him, which are among the best research institutions in the country.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is the PSAT sufficiently like the SAT such that preparation with SAT prep materials would be useful?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, SAT materials work fine for PSAT prep for students who have already scored high. </p>
<p>After edit: Check the date on which he took the previous SAT. If that is within a year of when he takes the PSAT as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in eleventh grade, he need not retake the SAT, although he may want to retake the SAT all the same. My son will take the SAT once more just to be in the time window required by the National Merit Scholarship rules. </p>
<p>National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - Competition Steps </p>
<p>Wait til after the PSAT to worry about the SAT. If he is an NM Semi finalist, he will have to take the SAT to "prove himself." If he is not an NM Semi finalist, it will be up to him. (35 ACT is just fine! Maybe he'll want to go somewhere that requires SAT II scores - if he does, you can save the most convenient SAT Saturdays for the SAT II's.</p>
<p>I don't understand all the hand-wringing about test prep. Studying for the verbal part can improve your verbal ability just like studying for a class would. Building one's vocabulary is important for writing, and reading comprehension is obviously important too. And frankly the best prep for the SAT is an intellectual lifestyle, something which can't be crammed for in a month. I had one of those word-a-day calendars when I was a kid, and I would always try to incorporate it into my writing and conversation. It wasn't for the SAT, although its basically the same as the word flash cards for SAT prep. I didn't need to study for the math at all, but if you have a problem with the test than perhaps you learn some math by preparing for it. </p>
<p>BTW, I had around around a 1450 as a freshman and I retook the SAT. I wouldn't have taken it again if I had gotten that score as a junior. Colleges don't really consider it a retake if the first time is as a freshman, and a significant score increase is almost automatic (~100,) so you might as well do it. You obviously don't need to retake the ACT, so if you want to just submit that and forget about the SAT then you could do that.</p>
<p>I don't agree that colleges view any score above 2100 as virtually the same. I would say its more like 750+ on each subsection is the threshold. Maybe the threshold for the writing would be more like 700 since many colleges don't respect the test as much as math and verbal.</p>
<p>Some very useful information here. I hadn't known that an SAT "proof" of a high PSAT score had to occur within one year. If that's true (and if he scores well enough on the PSAT for it to matter) then I guess he'll have to take the SAT regardless. (That's a nice little profit enhancer for the CB people, but I digress.)</p>
<p>I really tend to agree with alum314 on preparation, at least as to what we used to call the "verbal" skills. This kid has been reading, reading, reading since he was a very young child. He can't eat a meal without a book in his nose. I suspect there is really no better preparation than that.</p>
<p>
[quote]
the best prep for the SAT is an intellectual lifestyle
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Agreed. I haven't heard a good case for commercial test prep services, which were also unknown in my town when I took the SAT, just as they were to the original poster in this thread. </p>
<p>Colleges are very cool with retakes, </p>
<p>in part because a majority of all students who take the SAT take it more than once. </p>